


Slayer?

by myth_taken



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2018-11-08 15:56:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11084967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myth_taken/pseuds/myth_taken
Summary: Faith didn’t know much about being a Slayer, but she did know this: there was only one. There could only ever be one. And she was that one.--AU where Faith shows up in season four instead of season three... and Buffy doesn't know. Cue confusion. Buffy Femslash Week Day 7 - Free Choice





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been writing this for a while-- femslash week just gave me an excuse to post it. There will be more chapters, of course. (For the record, it's from [this post](http://myth-taken.tumblr.com/post/159095693367/idea-for-a-buffy-au-where-buffy-and-faith-are) I made a while ago.)

“So, have you filled out your roommate form yet?” Willow was sitting cross-legged at the head of her bed, going through paperwork. “It says here that you can specify certain traits and stuff. Like how late you’ll stay out and how cold you like the room to be.”

“I did that one yesterday,” Buffy said. “I’m just hoping there’s someone else who stays out, say, _all night_.”

“You’ll find somebody,” Willow told her. “Don’t worry.”

“Yeah, but will I find somebody who will consistently ignore all the signs that I’m spending my evenings killing the undead?” Buffy sighed. “I hate college.”

“You haven’t even gotten there yet!”

“Yeah, but it’s going to be really hard, and I have to live with somebody I don’t know, and also I’m not sure I really want to take Psychology.”

“You’ll love it,” Willow promised her. “You’ll finally have freedom! Aren’t you tired of your mom worrying all the time and Dawn trying to follow you on patrol?”

“I’m just worried she’ll follow me all the way to college,” Buffy said. “She keeps bragging about having Mom all to herself, but I’m not so sure I’m fooled.”

“She’ll be fine. You’ll be fine. It’ll all be fine.” Willow looked down at the forms. “Do I talk in my sleep?”

\--

Faith got off the train in Sunnydale, her duffel bag slung over her shoulder. This was it: her chance at a new start. Assuming she didn’t ruin it all first.

As she walked in the California heat to the UC Sunnydale campus, she was finally glad she had gotten her G. E. D.: it meant that she had an excuse to gallivant off to a Hellmouth, mother-less and fancy-free, and maybe try some higher education while she was at it. It was even sunny and everything. Really, what could make her day better?

She got there, registered herself, whatever that meant, and searched the map for her assigned room, which she was set to share with one Buffy Summers. She set off in what she assumed was the right direction; a moment later, she turned around and started moving the other way. She was lost, well and truly, but hell if she was going to tell anyone. She wandered around until she found a building that said “Stevenson” over the door, and then she went in and up to her room.

A blonde girl was already there, arranging a quilt on the bed. Faith stopped in the doorway and slung her bag off her shoulder.

“So, you’re Buffy Summers?”

“Yup. It’s on my birth certificate and everything.”

Faith took a step in. “It says ‘Buffy’ on your birth certificate?”

“No, but my real name is worse. Trust me.”

Faith laughed. She moved to the other bed and dumped her bag onto it. “Well, I can't give you a birth certificate, but you can call me Faith.”

“Hi, Faith.” They stared at each other for a moment, then each moved back to their tasks. Buffy kept with the sheet, but Faith hadn't brought any bedding, so she just started loading her clothes into the closet. Once they were all put away, she was left with just the bag, empty but for a single stake.

Glancing at Buffy, Faith put the stake into her purse and left. There had to be _something_ else to do before dinner.

\--

It was only Buffy’s second day, and she was already involved in a missing persons case. Not only that, but she was one of the missing persons. Willow and Oz were so happy with college life, and Giles wouldn’t help her, and she should have been out fighting, but instead, she was in the Bronze, formerly feeling alone but now feeling less so with Xander.

Finally, she and Xander found a lead, and they went back to Buffy’s dorm room to see if the weapons, at least, were still there. Instead, they found Willow and Oz, looking frazzled.

“She wouldn't have left!” Willow was insisting.

Buffy walked in. “No,” she agreed, “I wouldn't have.”

Willow barely noticed, though, in favor of flinging her arms around the newest arrival.

“Xander! How was your trip? Did you see anything really really cool?”

Xander chuckled awkwardly, and Buffy almost laughed.

“No time for that, Will,” he said.  “There’s trouble afoot.”

“So we’re back to school for real, then,” Oz said.

“Just like the good old days,” Buffy agreed. “So, are the weapons still here?”

“Looks like they’ve been taken,” Oz answered.

“No!” Willow yelled. “We hid them in my room, remember? Because I had a bigger closet?”

“Nice. So, we go get weapons, we find these vampires, and we kick their asses,” Buffy said. “Yeah?”

She was already walking out as the others repeated, “Yeah!”

But when they had walked to the “abandoned” house, there were no asses left to kick. It was obviously theirs; Willow had done all the research, and the walls and floors were covered in stolen freshman luggage. And yet there were no vampires.

“Did they flee?” Willow asked, peeking into the house. The four were sitting on the edges of a giant skylight, taking it in turns to look in.

“They wouldn’t have fled,” Buffy said. “Trust me, this girl was going to take me down.” She peered through the glass. “Do you think there was a fight, or it’s just this messy normally?”

“The furniture’s all on its side,” Oz noted.

“Doesn’t look good for the vampires,” Willow agreed.

“Which means it looks good for us,” Xander added.

Buffy looked around at her friends. “I’m going in.” She smashed the glass with the blunt end of her stake and jumped through the opening, sticking the landing perfectly. She came down into a room that looked a little bit like it had been hit by a thunderstorm, with clothes, books, and chairs strewn all over. One wall had been filled with posters, but now half of the posters were hanging off, having been ripped. Buffy poked around a bit more, then called up, “No one’s here! Anyone want to help me get my stuff?”

As she and her friends left the house, confused and holding boxes, Giles came running up.

“I’m sorry, Buffy, I was completely wrong, and I’m ready to fight the evil now.”

“Thanks, Giles, but it would appear the evil has been fought for us,” Buffy told him, barely catching a glimpse of his head over the top of the

“What?”

“Grab this one on top?”

Giles did so, still sputtering.

“Hide the weapons, guys. I don’t want my roommate thinking I’m some sort of murderer.”

Fortunately, Buffy’s roommate wasn’t even there.

\--

Faith had been fighting vampires all night. She was tired, and she was confused. One of the nests she had taken out had put up an impressive fight, and their leader had said something about a second Slayer.

Faith didn’t know much about being a Slayer, but she did know this: there was only one. There could only ever be one. And she was that one.

She got back to her room at around midnight, more tired than usual. She found her roommate still up, sitting on her bed. A brown-haired boy was sitting on the end.

“We’ll figure it out, Buffy,” the boy was saying.

“I know.” Buffy looked up and noticed Faith. “Oh, hey.” She stood up to introduce her friend. “Xander, Faith. Faith, Xander.”

Xander (did everyone in Buffy’s circle have weird names? What was with that?) stood up. “Sorry to intrude, Faith. I was just leaving.”

Faith shrugged. “No big deal. Don’t mess with my beauty sleep, and we’re five by five.”

Xander left, and Faith turned to Buffy. “He your boyfriend?”

Buffy stared at Faith. “What?”

“You and him? What’s the story?”

“Me and _Xander_? No way. He’s just a friend.”

Faith made her way to her bed and grabbed the ratty old shirt she used as pajamas. “Sure sounded boyfriendly to me.”

“No, we were just-- we were trying to figure out what to get our friend, Willow, for her birthday,” Buffy said.

Faith turned away from Buffy and took off her shirt. “You have lots of friends on campus?”

“We’re from Sunnydale,” Buffy explained. Then, “What happened to your back?”

“Huh?” Faith twisted to look. The twisting brought pain, and suddenly she remembered being thrown to the ground by the vampire who had already fought a Slayer, the debris of former freshmen digging into her spine. “Oh. Had a bad fall.” It wasn’t technically a lie.

“Do you need anything for it? Hang on, I have some medical supplies.”

Faith could hear Buffy moving already. “No, I’m good.” She slipped the shirt on over the bruises and turned back around.

“You sure?”

“Yup. Five by five.”

“Okay.” Buffy backed off, back to her bed.

Faith slept on her stomach that night.

\--

In the week that followed, Buffy kept patrolling. Every so often she’d come across a nest that had already been raided, or a fleeing vampire who came pre-beat up, or a beheaded demon. She had not yet come across the girl who was killing them.

When she thought about it, it made sense-- Kendra had been killed by Drusilla, and another girl must have been called. Buffy hadn’t put a ton of thought to it, but while she was finishing high school, another girl was gaining super-strength, and, Buffy assumed, being sent to the Hellmouth to give it a good ass-kicking.

How, though, had this girl not sought Buffy out yet? Kendra had known who Buffy was. Did this girl not have a Watcher?

Finally, on Saturday, she went with Willow to Giles’s house. He opened the door, immediately ushering them in.

“Hello, Buffy, Willow. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” At Giles’s look, she sighed. “Nothing big. It’s just-- remember how last week the vampires came pre-dusted?”

“I do remember, yes.” He went into the kitchen. Buffy and Willow sat on the couch.

“Well, there have been more incidents like that, and I’d like to know. Was a Slayer called when Kendra died?”

Giles came back into the living room, carrying a cup of tea. “I would assume so. After all, when a Slayer dies, another is called.”

“So why haven’t we heard from her?”

“Well, there are a number of reasons,” Giles said. “For one, you are technically no longer part of the Council. If they have learned of another Slayer, there is no reason that you would have been notified.”

“But I’m the Slayer. Isn’t it relevant?”

“Not if the other Slayer lives far away from you, and does her work without affecting you. You will remember that you did not learn of Kendra’s calling until she was needed in Sunnydale.” Giles took a sip of his tea. “But another possibility is that the Council has not been able to find this new Slayer. I’m sure they have been searching, but not every Slayer finds a Watcher immediately after her calling.”

“Isn’t there a spell they can do to find them?” Willow asked.

“Yes, but it is not always accurate, and its signals can be ambiguous,” Giles replied. “Buffy, is this Slayer causing you any problems?”

“No,” Buffy admitted. “I just want to know who she is.”

“Then I recommend you go back to school and continue to look out for her. It is likely that she attends UC Sunnydale, if she is killing vampires on campus. I’m wary of putting in a call to the Council, as if they are not aware of this Slayer, I am worried that they may begin searching for her and somehow hurt her in the process.”

Willow leaned forward. “What if she doesn’t know she’s a Slayer?”

“If she has wound up in Sunnydale, we can assume she knows why.”

“I didn’t,” Buffy pointed out. “Remember? I didn’t know anything about Sunnydale.”

“If she is in college, she is much older than you were, Buffy,” Giles said.

“And she’s been Slayer longer,” Willow added. “Right?”

“Barely,” Buffy said, “but okay.”

“We must also consider the possibility that she, ah, took her calling more seriously than you do, Buffy,” Giles added.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “I take it seriously! Now, anyway.” She stood up. “So, new Slayer. No big. I guess I’ll find her. Thanks, Giles.”

\--

There was another Slayer in town. Faith could tell. Not only were the vampires all surprised when Faith showed up, asking her if she’d dyed her hair or something, but she also kept finding empty nests and demon bodies strewn around campus.

At one point, she tried to torture information on this Slayer out of a half-dead vampire, but she didn’t get anything useful: the girl was blonde, well-established, and the vampire was afraid to speak her name. Which was pretty much ridiculous, overall.

Faith didn’t care much, except she was faced with a burning desire to know more about what it meant to be the Slayer. What she did know, she had discovered on the streets: she had woken up one day with super-strength and weird new urges, stabbed a guy with a broom handle and watched him turn to dust, and captured the next guy with a bumpy forehead that she could find and asked him about who he was and what she was. He was a vampire; she was a Slayer. The Slayer. There was only one. That was the first she had heard of Sunnydale; the vampire had thought he was safe in Boston, because the girl in Sunnydale was strong and still kicking.

After a little over a year of Slaying, Faith had learned more, but not that much more. She kept killing the vampires, and sometimes weird not-vampires, which she soon learned were demons, and she had some pretty kickass fighting skills. But her mom finally kicked the bucket (turned out there _was_ such a thing as too much alcohol), and Faith figured now was as good a time as any to see what was going on in Sunnydale.

As it turned out, more vampires than any small town should be able to generate was pretty much what was going on in Sunnydale. That, and demons, and Faith was sure she spotted weird military guys hauling the corpses of said demons every so often. So Faith would go out, maybe to a party, kill some vampires, have a good time, whatever.

And then she’d go back to her room, where Buffy would either be just going to bed or not even back yet. That girl had to live some sort of secret double life. Which was okay, since Faith did, too, and she wasn’t going to judge. Buffy’s excuses were mostly about her friend Willow: “Her roommate kind of sucks, so I have to go save her,” or, “We have a psych test tomorrow, and Willow is so better than me at the study thing.”

Faith believed her. As long as Buffy didn’t care where Faith went, Faith didn’t care where Buffy went. (Faith’s excuses were all about parties: “They were giving out free Jell-o shots,” or maybe, “Surprise bash down at a frat house. Should’ve been there, B.”)

Faith gave a brief thought to the idea that Buffy might be the other Slayer, but she couldn’t imagine this girl facing down any vampires. She was all of five feet tall. She might have been blonde and local, but she was also too laid-back. Faith figured the Sunnydale girl had probably seen four or five years of death, doom, and darkness by now. No one could survive that and come out as chipper as Buffy was. And Slayers worked alone, and Buffy had a ton of friends. They were always knocking on the door, asking for her, or she was walking them back home at midnight, or they were waiting by the door to walk with her to class.

So Faith had to look for a different blonde girl from Sunnydale.

She took a scientific approach. She had just learned about the scientific method in her bio class, and the teacher had made it make sense in a way that it never had before. So every time she saw a blonde, she said hi, made some small talk, and took notes after.

She had met a lot of girls-- some of them pretty cute, actually-- but none of them seemed like a Slayer. And she couldn’t just come right out and ask, “Hey, killed any vampires lately?” She didn’t want to kill her social life. She really _did_ go to parties some nights.

\--

Buffy didn’t know her roommate at all. She felt bad, because she was so busy with Slaying, and she couldn’t tell Faith. But she still slept next to the girl every night. She should know more about her than “goes to a lot of parties.” And she had a lot of free time now that Parker had made her give up on men.

She had only had a few conversations with Faith, but she was pretty sure Faith didn’t hate her. And she thought Faith was pretty cool, if a little wild. She was at a party _every night_.

Which meant that, when Buffy caved and decided to go to the Halloween party at the Alpha Delt house, she had to issue Faith a last-minute invitation.

“Hey, Faith, you got plans tonight?” she asked, looking through her closet for a costume idea.

“Nah,” Faith said. “I’m not big on spooky.”

“Well, my friends and I were going to go to the party at the Alpha Delt house,” Buffy said. “If you want to come, you can.”

“I don’t really have a costume.”

Buffy shrugged. “Neither do I.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Buffy left the room, and when she got back that evening draped in a red cape, she found Faith sitting on her bed wearing a tiny black dress, putting on dark red lipstick.

“Is that a costume?” Buffy asked, still in the doorway.

Faith moved the lipstick away from her half-dark mouth. “It will be once I hunt down a witch hat.”

Buffy bit her lip. “Um… that might not be the best idea.”

“Why? It’s a Halloween classic, B.”

“I know.” Buffy shrugged. “It’s just, my friend Willow is kind of into, like, Wicca stuff? More with the plants and goddesses than with the all black and pointy hat. She’s not big into the whole stereotype thing, and I really don’t want to be mediating that argument.”

Faith sighed. “You sure do have a high maintenance friend there.”

Buffy winced. She had been using Willow as an excuse when she went out Slaying, saying that Willow needed a study partner, or emotional support, or whatever else. All she said, though, was, “She’s worth it.”

Faith shrugged and stood up. “Whatever. Gives me a chance to wear that blazer I’ve been saving.”

“What?”

“You nixed my low-maintenance witch thing, B. Now I have to go as a sexy Blues Brother.” Faith was already unzipping the back of her dress. “You got a white shirt I can borrow?”

“Not a button-down,” Buffy said, looking into her closet.

“I guess if I’m going to be a _sexy_ Blues Brother, I can just go without,” Faith surmised, pulling out her blazer. “White bra, maybe?”

“You’re going to need sunglasses,” Buffy said. “Do you have sunglasses?”

Faith rolled her eyes. “I moved from Boston to a town with ‘sunny’ in the name, B. Of course I have sunglasses.”

\--

Half an hour later, Faith was dressed in leather pants, a blazer, and, at Buffy’s request, a white tank top. Buffy had called Willow and asked her to bring a black hat, but, looking in the mirror with her sunglasses on, Faith thought she looked a lot like a sexy Blues Brother. Blues Sister. Whatever.

She turned to Buffy. “This good enough for you?”

Buffy nodded and flipped up her hood. “Come on, then. There’s party-age afoot.”

Faith rolled her eyes and followed Buffy out of the dorm. They walked to the house, where Buffy said she had agreed to meet her friends before going in. “You can go in if you like,” she told Faith.

“Nah,” Faith said. “I want to know who’s friends with the illustrious Buffy Summers.” She took a small amount of pride in Buffy’s embarrassed smile.

Buffy opened her mouth to say something, but then Xander in a tuxedo came loping up to the two of them.

“Hey, little red. What’s in your basket?”

Completely deadpan, Buffy replied, “Weapons.”

“No way! Really?” Faith asked.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “No. But I bet the real Little Red Riding Hood carries weapons. Almost dying at the hands of a wolf grandma is dangerous.” She turned her eyes back onto the tux guy. “So, who’re you supposed to be? A scary, scary waiter?”

“Very funny.” Xander stuck his hand out to Faith. “Bond. James Bond.”

Faith laughed. “Yeah, and I’m the president.”

The boy stepped back and looked Faith up and down. “Who are you supposed to be, anyway?”

Before Faith could answer, Xander jumped up and waved over her head. “Willow! Oz!”

Faith had met Willow, but never Oz. He was Willow’s boyfriend, she knew, but she didn’t know much more, although with the level of emotional support Willow needed from Buffy, he’d better not be her boyfriend for all that much longer.

Faith shoved her sunglasses back on her face and turned around. It was time for another game of “Guess That Costume.” Willow looked like she was a knight or something from a long time ago-- one of those parts of history that Faith had never bothered learning in school. The kid next to her, Oz, was just kind of dressed like a regular college kid.

“Hey, guys!” Buffy exclaimed.

Faith did an awkward little wave.

“Hi,” Willow replied. “What’s up with the tux, Xander?”

“He thinks he’s James Bond,” Buffy told her.

“Hey!” Xander said. “Insurance policy! What if something really wild happens and we all wind up thinking we are our costumes?”

“Sounds unlikely,” Faith said. She zeroed in on Oz. “I’m Faith.”

“Oz.” The kid stuck out his hand. Faith shook it. She hadn’t realized people even shook hands in greeting anymore, and now two people had done it in one night. Civilization was weird.

“So, what’s the deal with your costume, Willow?” Xander asked.

“I’m Joan of Arc. I figured we have lots in common, seeing as--” Willow stopped. “You know. I ride horses. And, um, collect swords.” She hefted the one she was holding. Faith could see it was made of plastic. “Plastic swords. Plus, she had that close relationship with God.”

“And who’re you?” Xander asked Oz.

Oz pushed aside his jacket. Stuck on his shirt was a nametag that read “God.”

Faith laughed. “Wish I’d’ve thought of that one.”

“Here’s your hat, by the way,” Willow said, handing Faith a black bowler. “It’s not a fedora, but you seem to have taken certain other creative liberties, so I guess it’s good enough.”

“Thanks.” Faith set the hat on her head and turned to grin at Buffy. “See? Told you I could pull it off.”

“What, exactly, are you pulling off?” Xander asked.

“Sexy Blues Brother.”

Buffy glanced at Willow. “It was the alternative to witch.”

“Thanks, by the way,” Willow said. “Wouldn’t have wanted to curse you on our first real outing.”

Faith gave an uneasy laugh, not entirely sure if Willow was joking. She seemed fairly innocent, but Faith knew that magic was real, and so were curses. “Glad we avoided that one,” she said. “We going to party now, or what?”

“I vote party,” Oz said. Faith decided she liked him.

The group started walking.

“By the way,” Xander said, “I invited Anya. She couldn’t find a scary costume, so she’s going to meet us there.”

“Cool,” Buffy chirped. “Anya. Sounds fun.”

“This is going to be the best party ever,” Willow said.

Faith sighed.

\--

It was not the best party ever. The haunted house started out benignly creepy,  and then it escalated into _actually_ creepy, and Buffy lost track of Faith pretty early on. She had snuck away when everyone had been arguing, and Buffy hadn’t seen her since. But now the demon was standing before-- well, below-- the Scoobies, everything seemed pretty okay.

Buffy stomped on the demon and turned around. “Well, that was invigorating. Where’s Faith?”

“Faith?” Giles asked.

“My roommate.” Buffy sighed. “She’ll want to know what happened.”

At that moment, Faith came stumbling up the stairs. Her hair was a mess, but somehow, her costume was still intact, insofar as it could have been considered complete to begin with.

“Scary haunted house, huh?” she asked, stepping into the room. “I got wicked lost. Hey, what happened to the floor?”

“Party’s over, I guess,” Buffy said, tactfully not answering her question.

Faith raised an eyebrow, but she turned and led the group downstairs without any more questions.

Once they were downstairs, the group turned to each other, now with Anya (Giles had seen the newcomer and wisely made himself scarce).

“What now?” Willow asked.

“Bronze?” Xander asked.

“On Halloween?” Buffy asked.

“What’s bronze?” Faith asked.

“Local club,” Oz explained. “Good music. Sometimes.”

“You party every night, and you’ve never been to the Bronze?” Buffy asked.

“I like to stay on campus,” Faith answered. “Don’t know my way around town like you guys.”

“Isn’t it a bit late to go tonight?” Willow asked.

“It’s probably also full of drunk, costumed high school kids,” Xander said.

“Yeah, let’s skip it,” Buffy agreed.

“What say we part ways here?” Oz asked. “That was a pretty big fright, and I’m kind of tired.”

“I’m in,” Willow said. “This armor is heavier than it looks.”

“I want to go with Xander,” Anya said.

“You do that, then,” Buffy said. “Faith?”

“Yup.”

“See you guys later,” Buffy said.

“See ya,” Faith added.

Faith turned to go first, and Buffy followed. At least Faith didn’t seem to have noticed anything off about the party.

\--

A few days later, Faith came back from a morning class to find Buffy sitting in the room, staring at the wall in her pajamas.

“Hey, B, don’t you have class now?”

Buffy stared at her. “Bad night.”

“You’re hungover? On a _Wednesday_? Come on, B, save it for Sunday like the rest of us.”

“Went to see Xander. Saw four guys. Drank beer.”

Faith stared at Buffy. “And it turned you into cave-Buffy? Didn’t realize you were such a lightweight.”

Buffy came lunging at her. “You will see my weight!”

Faith pushed Buffy back. It was a good thing Faith was a Slayer; Buffy was strong, even hungover. “Really, B? Even hungover, ‘you will see my weight’ isn’t exactly the best comeback.” She looked around for something to distract Buffy. “Here, let’s watch TV.”

The instant Faith turned on the TV, Buffy started staring. “How did the people get into the box?”

Faith stared at her. “Did you take some weird drug last night, B?”

Buffy didn’t answer.

“There’s no way this is natural.” And then Faith stopped. Of course it wasn’t natural. And when was anything unnatural in Faith’s life just the result of some really intense, non-magical beer? “Shit. Listen, B, I’m sure you’d rather have Willow around when you’re not feeling great, and I have class to go to. I’m going to, um, call Willow, okay?”

“Okay,” Buffy said.

Faith went to the phone. “You remember her number?”

Buffy looked over at Faith. “What’s that do?”

“Okay, okay. Guess I’m stuck here.” Faith tried to think of people who could help. She _really_ needed a bigger supernatural thing network. “Shit. Okay, B. I’ll stick around. No class for the wicked. Not that I really mind, anyway.” She sprawled on her bed and opened a magazine. Best thing she could think to do was make sure B didn’t leave the room and hope it wore off.

So she waited. She waited all afternoon, doing some homework because she had to pass her classes to keep her scholarships, but not too much, because she had a reputation to maintain. Every so often, she’d ask, “How you doing, B?” and Buffy would give some nonsensical caveman answer.

By the afternoon, Faith was getting pretty hungry. She figured she had two options: one, leave Buffy in the room, or two, take the chance of Buffy meeting her friends in the dining hall like this.

Option one would leave Buffy alone in the room with the phone. If Willow called, it could be disastrous. Faith tossed her book aside and stood up. “Hey, B, you want to come with me to get some dinner?”

Buffy wrenched her gaze away from the TV. “Food?”

“Yeah. Nice, yummy food. Come on, B.” Faith pulled Buffy up and slung Buffy’s arm over her. Buffy walked along with her all the way to the dining hall, where Faith filled two trays and found a table for them in the corner, hopefully where no one walking in would see them. Buffy ate as messily as Faith, which was a real sign that something had happened to her.

Everything was going fine until suddenly, Buffy dropped her food and stood up. Her voice was full of anger and intention.

“Parker.”

Faith jumped up. “No, B, sit down. You can hit Parker later, okay? Later. When we’re not eating.”

Buffy looked past Faith, murder in her eyes. “Parker _bad_.”

Faith sighed and pushed Buffy into her seat. “Parker problem for _later_.”

Buffy grumbled and kept eating, still looking over Faith’s shoulder. Faith looked around, following Buffy’s gaze to a guy sitting a few tables away.

“When this is over, you’re telling me what happened with him,” Faith said. She stood, picking up her tray. “Come on, let’s go.”

Buffy stared warily up at her. Faith stacked Buffy’s empty tray atop her own and pulled Buffy up, keeping a strong grip on her so that she could be dragged if necessary. Somehow, Faith got her through the dish return with no more incident than a few glares.

When they got back to Buffy’s room, Willow was standing outside the door.

“Oh, hey, Willow,” Faith said. “Buffy’s-- um, Buffy’s not feeling great.”

“I’ll say,” Willow said, staring at Buffy, who was leaning heavily on Faith’s shoulder, still wearing pajamas.

“Faith?” Buffy was saying. “Faith? I want to sleep.”

Faith patted Buffy on the head. “Okay, B. Come on, just let me unlock the door.” She fumbled with the keys.

“I’ll do it,” Willow said, holding out her hand. Faith handed her the keys, and Willow opened the door. Faith hefted Buffy into a bridal carry and brought her inside, laying her on her bed and pulling the covers over her.

“Don’t suppose you know what Buffy drank last night,” Faith said to Willow. “This is the weirdest hangover I’ve ever seen. I mean, she’s acting all cavegirl or something.”

Willow’s mouth opened. “I’m going to _kill_ Xander. Faith, can you stay with her? I’m going to work this out.”

Before Faith could say anything, Willow had walked out again, the door swinging shut behind her.

“Guess it’s just you and me, B,” Faith said, patting Buffy’s head. Buffy looked up at her drowsily.

“‘Sokay, Faith. I like you.”

“Like you too,” Faith answered. “I’m gonna go over to my own bed now, all right?”

Buffy nodded, and Faith went to the other side of the room. She laid back on her bed and picked up her book, one eye on Buffy the whole time.

After about half an hour, it was clear Buffy was asleep. It was six in the evening. Faith sighed and picked up her homework again. It was surprising how much fun homework was when there was nothing else to do.

Two hours later, the phone rang. Faith picked it up.

“Hey, this is Faith.”

Willow’s voice came over the phone. “How’s Buffy?”

“Asleep,” Faith said. “You killed Xander yet?”

“I decided to let him live,” Willow said. “It turns out the guy who owns the bar was putting some pretty intense drugs in the beer.”

“Weird. Why?” Faith asked.

“He didn’t like that his customers were so snobby, I guess,” Willow said.

“Huh. But, like, it’s all good now, right?”

“Yeah. It’ll wear off, and I don’t think that guy’s going to be allowed to be in charge of a bar anytime soon.”

Faith looked over at Buffy. “Probably good. He really messed Buffy up.”

“She kind of messed herself up first,” Willow said. “That was a lot of beer she drank.”

“Look,” Faith said. “B messed up, sure. But she thought she knew what she was getting into. I mean, beer, you get drunk, you feel awful the next day, but you know going in that that’s what’s going to happen, and you’re probably not gonna drink yourself to death on your first shot. Not B’s fault that someone else decided to take advantage of that.”

Willow didn’t say anything for a moment.

“Sorry. I get it, that was too much. Just… be good to B, okay? You’re all just getting used to being adults and all that.”

“You’re not?” Willow asked.

“Nah, Red, I had to grow up years ago.”

“Sorry.”

“It happens. You need anything else from me?”

“No. Thanks for looking after Buffy.”

“No problem. Roomies stick together, right?”

“In theory,” Willow said. “I’m going to go now. I’ll talk to you later.”

“See you,” Faith said. She hung up and went back to her book.

The next day, Faith woke up before Buffy. The other girl was snoring pretty hard, so Faith figured she was safe to go get some food. She hurried through the dining hall, bringing back some toast for Buffy. When she got back, Buffy was just waking up. Faith put the toast on her nightstand.

“You feeling better?” Faith asked.

“What happened?” Buffy asked.

“I don’t know. Some sort of drug in the beer.” Faith shrugged. “You should consider less beer.”

Buffy sat up and stretched. “Yeah, never making that mistake again. My head _still_ hurts.”

Faith sat on the end of her bed. “Well, I’m here all morning. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thanks,” Buffy said. “Did I do anything stupid yesterday?”

“Yelled at some guy Parker in the cafeteria,” Faith said.

“Oh. He deserves it.”

“What’d he do?”

“I thought he was into me and it turned out he just wanted sex,” Buffy said. “Like, one-time sex.”

“Sounds like he was into you to me,” Faith said.

“Not enough, I guess,” Buffy said.

“Nah, it just means he didn’t want it to be complicated,” Faith said. “Boys are a lot easier to deal with if it’s just the one night.”

“Maybe that works for you,” Buffy said. “But not for me, and that’s not what Parker was selling. We were talking for two whole weeks before we had sex.”

“Whatever floats your boat,” Faith said. “You don’t judge me, I don’t judge you, deal?”

“Yeah. I just wish it were easier to tell whether boys are looking for my level of commitment or your level of commitment.”

“Life’s hard, B. Gotta figure it out for yourself.”

Buffy laughed. “Yeah, okay.” She looked to the toast on her nightstand. “Is that for me?”

“Yeah,” Faith said. “Thought toast was a safe bet. Plus, you know, easy to steal.” She stood up and stretched. “I’m going to do some pushups and stuff. I’d go to the gym, but, you know. I don’t want to leave you alone.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Buffy said. “I mean, it’s not like I stay around with you every time you get hung over.” A pause. “Wait. Should I do that? Because I totally can. I mean, you shouldn’t suffer alone.”

Faith laughed. “It’s cool. You just got all drugged, and I want to make sure you’re okay. Plus, I’m guessing that was your first hangover, and you shouldn’t have to go it alone.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s not usually that bad. Probably a good thing to avoid, though.”

“Why don’t you?” Buffy asked.

“Got lots to forget. Wish I had a better way to do it.” Faith dropped to the ground between the beds and started her pushups. After a few, Buffy rolled off the bed, almost onto Faith.

“Move over.”

“What?”

Buffy poked Faith’s arm. “I have muscles, too. Move over.”

“There’s not room here.” Faith got up and moved in front of her bed. Buffy took the space Faith had been in.

“Bet I can do more than you.”

Faith laughed. “No way.”

“Yes way!”

“Fine. You’re on.” There was no way Buffy’d be able to keep up with Faith’s Slayer strength. Faith’d just keep going until Buffy dropped, and then she’d stop.

Forty pushups later, Faith realized she needed to stop soon just to keep up the charade that she was a normal person.

“You tired?” she asked Buffy.

“Not even,” Buffy panted.

“Come on,” Faith said. “Don’t you just feel like giving up?”

“Nope.”

They were on fifty now.

“Wow. You sure you don’t have superstrength?” Buffy teased.

“I wonder every day,” Faith answered.

Fifty-five.

Fifty-six.

This was a bad idea.

“You just don’t want to admit that I’m stronger,” Buffy said.

Faith made a big show of sighing and dropping to the ground. “Fine. You’re stronger. Happy?”

Buffy did two more and then dropped as well. “You bet,” she answered, grinning.

Faith stood. “I guess, you know, if you do all those pushups, I can’t treat you like an invalid anymore.”

“I told you,” Buffy said.

“Now I have to admit I just like hanging out with you. Damn, B. Why do you make this so hard?”

“You like hanging out with me?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah, yeah. What can I say? I’m a softie at heart.” Faith shrugged. “Plus, anyone who can beat me at pushups deserves to be my friend.”

“If that’s your criteria, you’ll never have friends,” Buffy said.

Faith shrugged. “Good thing you beat me.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> at long last... here's chapter 2. also, I made some minor edits to chapter 1... nothing big. I just fixed some inconsistencies.

The pushups were stupid. Buffy knew they had been stupid. But she had also known that Faith would lose. Buffy was the  _ Slayer _ . And, as the Slayer, she was allowed to have fun sometimes. Even if it meant putting her identity in jeopardy.

And, as it turned out, she liked Faith. She didn’t remember much of her cavegirl day, but when she went to Psychology, Willow told her that Faith had stayed with her the whole time. 

But eventually, Faith was going to figure out that something was up with Buffy. That was what happened with Buffy’s friends. They found out about the whole superpower thing, and either they ruined everything, or they stuck around.

Buffy surprised herself by hoping that maybe Faith would be one of the ones who stuck around. 

\--

Faith had never had a friend before. She had thought that college would make it easier to make friends, but it turned out that being the Slayer cancelled that out. And Faith’s major issues with commitment and trust, but it turned out that when someone was your roommate, commitment and trust were kind of required. Somehow, she found herself being forced to trust Buffy, who seemed like a pretty good person to trust. She wasn’t around that much, she was clean, she didn’t bring guys back to the room or anything, and when she was around, she was really nice, and she was pretty easy to talk to, barring weird beer adventures.

Faith kind of worried that she might be developing a crush. Most of the time, if she felt herself getting a crush, she ran away, she found a new haunt, she had a few one-night stands, she got over it. But now, she was stuck in this room with this girl, and she didn’t really want to risk being stuck with someone who  _ was _ super messy, or worse, someone who was super nosy. Buffy was cool, and if her only fault was being a little  _ too _ cool, Faith was going to deal. 

So she did. She came back to the room every night and exchanged some banter with Buffy, and then she went to sleep. Sometimes Buffy’s friends were around, and Faith wasn’t as good with them-- they were nice and all, but Faith barely knew them, and they seemed a little  _ too _ friendly. 

Which meant that when Faith came back to her room one night to find Willow sitting on Buffy’s bed, crying, she didn’t know what to do. She barely knew Willow, and she certainly didn’t know why Willow would be crying. Unless it was a boyfriend thing? Faith knew even less about boyfriends. She was strictly one-night stand, and her crushes were generally on girls. 

Still, she had to try.

“What’s up, Red?” she asked. “Waiting for B?”

Willow did the most pathetic nod Faith had ever seen. Faith had to do something. She sighed and sat on the edge of her bed across from Willow. 

“All right, what happened?” she asked.

“Oz,” Willow sobbed. “Oz-- he left.”

“Asshole,” Faith said. “Girl like you’s a real catch, Red.”

“Th- thanks.” Willow was still sobbing, and Faith didn’t know what to do. She didn’t touch, as a rule. She wasn’t about to go give Willow a big bear hug. But that was obviously what Willow needed. 

“God. I don’t know how to help you. I hope B gets back soon. Where is she, anyway?”

Willow shrugged. 

“Girl sure likes her me time.” Faith looked at the door, then back at Willow. “You need anything?”

Willow shook her her head.

“Okay. I’m going to do a little reading. Anything I can do to help, just let me know, okay?”

Willow nodded.

Faith pulled out a history book and started underlining. After a few pages, the door opened and Buffy walked in. Faith sat up and watched her take in the scene. 

“Oz broke up with her,” she explained.

“He left,” Willow said. She wasn’t quite sobbing anymore, but her face was tearstained, and her voice was wavering and thin. “He said he had to learn to control himself, and he just drove away.”

“Shit,” Faith said. “Didn’t realize it was that bad.”

Buffy sat next to Willow and wrapped her arms around her. Faith turned away, back to her book. She listened to Buffy and Willow talk about what had happened-- it seemed pretty complicated, but Faith had never done relationships. She had chalked her mom’s complicated love life up to an equally complicated drug life, but Willow was pretty obviously not on drugs. Maybe all relationships were like that.

Faith fell asleep to the sound of Buffy speaking softly to Willow. When she woke up in the morning, Willow was gone.

\--

Something was afoot on campus. Buffy had been distracted by Willow, but she kept seeing shadowy features in the bushes on her nightly patrols, and they couldn’t  _ all _ be the other Slayer. 

She asked Faith about it one morning, trying to sound casual-- “I was walking back to the dorm last night, and I thought I heard something in the bushes.”

“You scared, B?” Faith asked, pulling a shirt out of her closet. “Didn’t think I’d see the day.”

“No, I’m just curious,” Buffy said. “Have you seen anything weird?”

“Nah,” Faith replied. “Probably just a squirrel or something.” She held up two shirts. “Black or white?”

Buffy had already started to gather her things for class, but she looked up at Faith. “Either. You’ll look good in whatever.”

Faith gave her a weird look, then shrugged. “Black it is, then.”

“Kind of thought you’d say that,” Buffy remarked on her way out the door. 

\--

Faith hadn’t been entirely honest with Buffy. Actually, she had flat-out lied to Buffy. She had been seeing and hearing weird things in the bushes, too, and she had also seen some guys decked out in military colors fighting a vampire. (She had walked into their path just as they were staking it, and they had made up some story about a scavenger hunt the minute they saw her.) But Buffy didn’t need to know about that. She could just continue her perfect demon-free life, with her friends and her studying. 

Later, though, she was walking in the hall and she heard the voice of the military guy who’d fed her the scavenger hunt B. S., and then she heard Buffy’s voice. She turned around and saw Buffy looking tiny next to a giant muscly hunk of man with an annoying haircut, talking about psychology. Faith turned back around, but Buffy had seen her, and was calling out, “Hey, Faith!”

Faith slowed down to let Buffy catch up. “Hey, B. Who’s this?”

“Faith, Riley. Riley, Faith. He’s my Psych T. A.” Buffy turned to Riley. “And Faith’s my roommate.”

“I’ve met you,” Faith said. “You were one of the guys on the weird military scavenger hunt.” 

Buffy looked at Faith. “Huh?”

“Just a thing my friends and I were doing,” Riley said.

“I saw them all dressed up in military clothes,” Faith said, “and they were, like, fighting this other guy with a weird face.”

“ _ That’s _ what you do for fun?” Buffy asked. “Violent costume scavenger hunts?”

“We just did the one,” Riley said. “It wasn’t all that much fun. Probably won’t be out there again.” He paused. “Anyway, I had better get back to Professor Walsh. Nice meeting you two!”

“It’s lunch time,” Buffy said to Faith as Riley ran off. “What’s he have to do with Professor Walsh?”

Faith was pretty sure she knew. “Beats me,” she said. She made a mental note to investigate later.

\--

Buffy snuck into the Psychology classroom late at night, after Professor Walsh had gone home, or, potentially, back to her super secret military compound. Assuming such a thing existed. 

Her desk was in the middle of the lecture stage, unguarded. Buffy glanced back at the door one more time, and, seeing no one, she continued to the desk. A quick glance told her there was nothing special about the papers on top-- they were just lecture notes and essays that the professor hadn’t handed back yet.  

She suppressed the urge to sneak a peek at her grade in favor of opening some drawers. The first one had nothing but a few paperclips and a couple of books, and the second one had a copy of  _ Frankenstein _ , but the third one held the prize.

It was a scrap of paper, stuck in the corner of the drawer. Buffy almost didn’t notice it, but as she was closing the drawer, it fluttered, and she plucked it out. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was an index card. It had a name--  _ Riley Finn _ \--and a few sentences--  _ A good soldier. Follows orders. Trustworthy. _

“Huh.” Buffy tucked the notecard into her pocket, closed the drawer, and left.

On her way back to the dorm, she ran into Faith, who was walking in the opposite direction.

“You’re up late,” she commented.

“So are you.” Faith grinned. “And in an academic building, no less. Didn’t think you’d be a rulebreaker, B.”

Buffy shrugged. “Sometimes people surprise you.”

\--

Faith didn’t find anything in the psychology classroom. It was okay; she hadn’t expected much. This wasn’t the base of operations.

So what was? She hit the paths of UC Sunnydale, thinking about that. If the commander or whatever was a professor, and the soldiers or whatever were students, it had to be someplace on campus. But there were too many unknowns: Faith didn’t know how many soldiers there were, or what their objective was, and she wouldn’t know where to look until she answered those questions. She was really only pursuing them for her own curiosity, anyway; if a bunch of military guys wanted to do her job, it was fine by her.

Buffy wasn’t back yet when Faith got back to the room. She did some homework, played some music, and by the time she was going to bed, Buffy was there, putting on her pajamas and yawning the cutest yawns Faith had ever heard.

Shit. She  _ did _ have a crush.

\--

Buffy went to Willow’s room. Willow’s roommate was a real party animal, so she was rarely around; Buffy could usually count on finding Willow alone in the room after about eight or nine in the evening. 

Today was no exception. Willow was there, moping about Oz, and she let Buffy in when she knocked.

“Something’s up,” Buffy said.

“You mean you didn’t come visit for my sparkling personality?” Willow asked.

“Of course I’m here for your sparkly personality,” Buffy assured her. “I love your sparkly personality, but I’m a Slayer, and Slayers don’t have time for sparkly personalities. It’s tragic, really.”

Willow actually cracked a smile at that. “So what’s up?”

Buffy explained what Faith had said earlier about the military scavenger hunt.

“And then I found this,” she finished, holding out the scrap of paper, “in Professor Walsh’s drawer. And I’ve been getting fewer vamps, too, which makes me think that these guys are actually doing something.”

“So you want me to investigate?”

“It might take your mind off Oz,” Buffy offered. 

Willow took the paper from Buffy. “Huh. Our T. A. is a soldier?”

“Looks like it.”

“What can I do?” Willow asked.

“Research. Find out about any branch of the military that deals with the supernatural. I’m going to keep poking around campus.” 

“Okay.”

“Thanks.” Buffy sat on the end of Willow’s bed. “Business done. Now I’m here for your sparkly personality.”

Willow smiled and started asking about Psychology homework.

\--

Since the whole military thing and extra Slayer meant that there were fewer demons to kill, Faith decided she was going to spend more of her time doing other things. She had never had a social life before, and here she was, living the rich girl dream. Why not have some fun?

It was this that brought her to Willow’s room the next afternoon. Willow looked depressed, as usual, and surprised to see Faith. 

“Buffy’s not here,” she said, still paying more attention to her laptop than to Faith.

“Good thing I’m not looking for her.” 

Willow closed her laptop. “Well, I assume you’re not looking for my roommate.”

“Don’t even know who she is,” Faith replied.

“Probably for the better,” Willow said. “So, why are you here?”

“I was wondering some things about B.”

“Who’s B?” Willow asked. Faith could see the moment when she figured it out. “Oh. Buffy. Go on.”

“Yeah. I have this friend, right? And she’s kinda into B, and she wants to know if B swings that way.”

“You have friends other than Buffy?” Willow asked.

“Come on, Red. I have a social life.” That was a lie.

“Buffy’s never said anything to me about liking girls,” Willow said. “But I don’t pretend to know everything about her life. I’ve been kind of preoccupied.”

“Right, with the band guy.” Faith paused. “Oz?”

Willow nodded. “I really miss him.”

“Hey, time heals all wounds,” Faith said. “Or so I hear.”

“This is a pretty big wound,” Willow pouted.

A year ago, Faith would’ve just left at this point. She wouldn’t have been able to find the time of day for some girl’s boyfriend issues. And part of her still didn’t have the time of day for it, but she sat down on the end of Willow’s bed anyway.

“There are other-- fish in the sea, or something,” she said. “You’re cool. Seemed like you were a good girlfriend.”

“I thought I was,” Willow said. She was near sobbing now. “I tried so hard. But he said it wasn’t my fault.”

“It happens,” Faith said. “My mom never loved me. Thought I was broken for years. Turns out, she was just drunk all the time. It was all on her.”

“But Oz isn’t drunk. He’s-- he’s smart. He’s all in control of himself and everything.”

“So if he left you,” Faith said, “it must mean that he was trying to control himself or something. Probably was going through a lot.”

“I know,” Willow said. “I’m being selfish.”

“Nothing wrong with being selfish.” Faith shrugged. She looked at Willow, who was leaning against her headboard, desolate. “You know what’s a good distraction?” 

“What?” Willow asked.

“A good party,” Faith said. “There’s one at Lowell house tonight.”

“I know,” Willow said. “Buffy’s dragging me. She thinks it’ll help.”

“Yeah. You go, you dance, you forget all about Oz.”

Willow shrugged. “I’m not so much a party person.”

“Just try it,” Faith said. She stood. “See you there?”

“Do I have a choice?” Willow asked.

Faith just grinned and walked out into the hall, running right into Buffy.

\--

Buffy was just about to knock on Willow’s door, potential party outfits in hand, when the door opened and out came… Faith? Yes, definitely Faith, looking like a deer in headlights.

“What are you doing here?” Buffy asked.

Faith’s glance darted around. “Uh, just hanging with Willow. You know, keeping her company. ”

“That’s sweet of you,” Buffy said.

“She’s pretty depressed,” Faith said. “Give her a good time tonight, B, okay?”

Buffy opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, Faith brushed past her. Buffy pushed open the door to Willow’s room and went in, still curious and confused. 

\--

The party was a good time. Faith loved parties, actually. She could just go and drink and dance and everyone looked at her and no one actually saw her. 

No one but Buffy, apparently.

She felt Buffy’s eyes on her as she was dancing. Her gaze was completely scrutinizing; there was something underneath it, but Faith couldn’t tell what.

The song ended, and Faith sauntered over to the drinks table. Just as she grabbed a cup, she felt a hand on her arm. In the moment she glanced up and saw Willow, Willow pulled her to the side.

“Earlier,” she said, “when you were asking about Buffy, was that really for someone else?”

Faith sighed. “You going to force me out of your life if it wasn’t?”

“No,” Willow said. “But if Buffy’s going to date someone, it might as well be you.”

“She doesn’t even like girls, Red. Look at her.”

Faith and Willow both looked to the dance floor, where Buffy was sharing personal space with a random upperclassman.

“People can surprise you,” Willow answered. “I’ve seen where Buffy’s eyes go when she thinks no one’s looking.” She lowered her voice. “Sometimes where her eyes go is to places where cute girls happen to be standing.”

Faith laughed. “You sure  _ you’re  _ straight, Red?”

Willow blushed, and Faith grinned back. 

“Thanks for the Buffy intel, anyway,” she said. “And, hey, you ever want to catch yourself a girl, I’m here to help.”

“I’m not--” 

“Yeah, yeah. Everyone’s not gay at one point in their lives.” Faith winked at Willow. “Talk to you later, Red. Got me a girl to dance with.” She dove back onto the dance floor, where Buffy was dancing her heart out. Faith slipped in between her and some boy, and Buffy barely registered the difference, greeting Faith with a grin and a hand to her shoulder.

Faith glanced back at Willow, who gave her a little smile. Faith winked again before losing herself in the music.

\--

Buffy really liked dancing. Moreover, it turned out that she really liked dancing  _ with Faith. _ All those times Faith had been out late partying, and Buffy had never thought about going with her. But Faith’s body moved perfectly with Buffy’s, and together they danced with everyone and no one else.

After a couple of songs, though, Buffy broke away to check up on Willow, who was still moping at the edge of the dance floor.

“You good?” she asked.

“Fine,” Willow said, looking and sounding like she was anything but fine.

“You sure? Do you want to go back?”

“No,” Willow said. “Enjoy the party. You and Faith looked like you were having fun.”

Buffy glanced at the dance floor, where Faith still danced.

“Yeah,” Buffy said. “There’s something weird about her, though.”

“How so?” Willow asked. 

“I don’t know. Her movements are too fluid. Like yesterday, there was a bug in the room, and she reached out and caught it with nothing but her fingers. That doesn’t make sense, right? Tell me that doesn’t make sense.”

“You do that,” Willow said.

“Yeah, but I’m the Slayer,” Buffy answered. “She’s not.”

Willow looked at Buffy, then back at Faith. Her eyes grew wide. “Do you know that for sure?”

Buffy’s eyes met Willow’s. “I guess not.”

\--

The next day, Faith woke up to Buffy’s eyes on her from the other bed. Her heart leapt, and she tried to force it right back down.

“Morning,” she said.

Buffy quickly averted her eyes and pushed herself up into a sitting position. “Good morning.”

Something was different this morning. As Faith got ready, she was aware of Buffy’s eyes on her, searching for something. 

Faith dealt with this the only way she knew how: by making a show of it. When she took off her shirt, she ripped it off, taking note of the way Buffy blushed and turned away the instant Faith’s bra saw sunlight. She took her time picking out a new shirt, and when she did, it was one that showed more cleavage than she would have gone with for an average Sunday.

Finally, Buffy asked, “Have you seen anything weird lately?”

Faith had been turned away from Buffy, looking for socks but now she turned around and leaned against the desk.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Weird. Like a couple of nights ago I saw some people with funny faces. Their foreheads were all wrinkly.”

Faith shrugged, pulling on her socks. “Probably just some guys having fun with masks or something. People are weird, B. Who knows why they do what they do?”

“Yeah,” Buffy said. “You’re probably right.” She turned away, and Faith stepped into her shoes and wandered out. 

So Buffy knew something. She had seen vampires. Which meant that there were vampires that Faith hadn’t slain, and Faith should probably get around to slaying them. But it also meant that Buffy knew something, and if she knew something, it wouldn’t be long until she knew too much. Having a roommate was hard.

But, hey, at least Buffy had been checking out her ass.

\--

Faith was definitely a Slayer. Being a Slayer for so many years had given Buffy a talent for lying about vampires, but also a talent for knowing when other people were lying about vampires. And Faith? Definitely lying about vampires. Plus, the more Buffy thought about it, the more she noticed how fluid Faith’s movements were. Even when she was taking her shirt off, she did it in one swift motion, and she flung her shirt to the side with a casual force that Buffy hadn’t seen in anyone else. (Not that she spent time watching people take off their shirts. But people tossed other things sometimes, and she was pretty sure they didn’t do it like  _ that _ .)

The minute Faith left, Buffy called Willow. 

“She’s definitely a Slayer,” she said. 

“Well, does she seem like a good one?” Willow asked.

“I guess. Nothing too terrible’s happened lately, right?”

“Nothing vampire-related,” Willow answered.

“Sorry. That’s what I meant.” Buffy sighed. “I guess there’s not much I can do.”

“Did you talk to Giles?” Willow asked.

“Not yet,” Buffy said. “I’ll do that next. Thanks, Will.”

“Bye.” 

Buffy hung up the phone and dialed Giles’s number. He answered immediately.

“Giles?”

“Yes?”

“We’ve found the other Slayer.”

“Oh? What’s she like?”

“She’s my roommate. You’ve met her, right? Faith?”

“I’ve caught sight of her once or twice. However, I do not spend my time running around and trying to meet your friends,” Giles said. “Although if she is truly the other Slayer, that’s a completely different story.”

“Should I tell her I’m the Slayer?” Buffy asked. 

“No, not yet,” Giles answered. “We should know more about her first. Where did you say she was from?”

“Boston,” Buffy said. “Pretty far, huh?”

“Yes, well, I’m sure she’s here for the Hellmouth just like you are.”

“We just attract all the tourists,” Buffy agreed. “I’ll call Mom and ask if Faith can stay with us over the break. She probably doesn’t have a place to go.”

“Please do,” Giles said. “At any rate, it will be a kindness.”

\--

When Faith got back to the room, late that night, Buffy was sitting up in bed, reading. Faith stripped and got into bed, as was her habit, but the minute she rolled to face the wall, Buffy asked, “Faith?”

Faith rolled back over. “Yeah?” 

“Do you have plans for Thanksgiving?”

“Yeah,” Faith said. “There’s a big party around here for pathetic kids with no families. Why?”

“I was going to ask if you wanted to come stay with me,” Buffy said. “My mom and my sister are gone, but we’re going to have a big Thanksgiving dinner at Giles’s house.”

“Giles?”

“The librarian from high school,” Buffy explained. “He kind of took me and my friends under his wing. You can be in our family, if you want. Much less pathetic. And I’ll feel less pathetic, too, not staying in an empty house.”

“Sounds good,” Faith said. “Night, B.”

“Good night.” 

And Buffy turned back to her book, and Faith rolled back over.

\--

Buffy was awash in preparations for Thanksgiving. She spent all her time at the supermarket, trying to get through her shopping list. It was so long. Who knew that Thanksgiving was so much work? Her mom didn’t get enough credit.

She was also trying to figure out how she was going to hide the whole Slayer thing from Faith during Thanksgiving. She didn’t think about it much, but her friend group was pretty much entirely a product of her being the Slayer. They entirely revolved around her Slaying. Willow was a witch, and that was because she had re-ensouled Angel, also known as Buffy’s vampire ex, and Xander spent his time talking up demons, because he had happened to overhear a conversation when Buffy had first arrived in Sunnydale, and of course Anya was, herself, a former demon, and Giles’s entire life had revolved around Buffy before Buffy herself had been born. 

Of course, she could just reveal her Slayer status to Faith, but she wasn’t sure yet. It put her in a vulnerable position. Theoretically, there was no reason not to trust Faith, but Buffy didn’t actually know all that much about her yet. She knew that Faith was a night owl, and that she liked parties, or at least she liked lying about parties when she went patrolling. And she knew that Faith patrolled at different times and in different places from the ones Buffy preferred, since of course they had never run into each other.

But this was a situation that must be approached with caution, and if Faith didn’t know that Buffy was the Slayer, maybe there was a reason for that.

So Buffy focused on having Thanksgiving-- a nice, calm, normal Thanksgiving-- and let herself ignore Faith.

\--

Faith had never celebrated Thanksgiving before. Her family wasn’t so into the whole holidays thing-- even when her mom had been alive, her idea of a celebration had been a slightly nicer brand of Scotch. And as much as Faith appreciated Scotch, she had the idea that maybe she would appreciate a Buffy Summers Thanksgiving even more.

The day classes let out, she walked with Buffy to Buffy’s house in Sunnydale. Somehow, Faith had never quite realized that Buffy could walk home-- just right out the door and into a world where she had a warm bed and a loving family.

“Why the hell do you live on campus, B?” she asked. “I mean, if your house is this close.”

“I wanted a change,” Buffy said, simply. “That’s all.”

“From this life?” Faith asked. “B, count your blessings.”

“My life is pretty nice,” Buffy agreed, “but even rich girls need their sisters out of their hair. And I’m pretty sure my mom would have just kicked me out if I hadn’t left.”

Faith shrugged.

Everything Faith was thinking about Buffy’s luck was magnified a million times when she saw Buffy’s house. It was huge, compared to what Faith was used to. Buffy showed her around-- “This is the kitchen, and here’s a bathroom, and this is there we do the laundry--” and even just the bottom floor was so much bigger and so much nicer than anything Faith had lived in. And that was before Buffy got to the room where Faith was staying.

“This is my mom’s room,” she said, “so pretty much best in house. Just don’t mess anything up too bad, okay?” 

“No promises,” Faith said, grinning.

\--

Xander was breaking ground for a new something-or-other on campus. Apparently, it was important, but Buffy didn’t go-- she wasn’t going to leave Faith all alone, and she equally wasn’t going to drag Faith along to watch someone she barely knew dig. Instead, she and Faith were going shopping for Thanksgiving dinner, something that Faith was completely bamboozled by.

“Why are there so many types of cranberry sauce?” she asked, watching Buffy meticulously compare each one.

“Some of them are better,” Buffy said. “It really should be homemade, but I don’t have time for that if I want to get the turkey right.”

“I’ll do it,” Faith said. 

Buffy looked up. “Really?”

“Yeah, sure,” Faith said. “Give me a recipe and we’re five by five.”

So they bought cranberries and sugar, and everything else they needed for the perfect Thanksgiving. Buffy was determined: they would have the perfect Thanksgiving.

—

Faith was amazed. She had never seen anybody put as much effort into a holiday as Buffy was putting into Thanksgiving. Then again, Faith had spent her last Christmas shoving stakes into some vampires who had decided that it would be a good idea to go after a mall Santa, so that was definitely a factor. And it wasn’t like her alcoholic mother had ever done much more for a holiday than switch her drink of choice to champagne for New Year’s. Nothing was more celebratory than a drinking habit that took up even more of the budget than it usually did.

But Buffy was taking up a whole month of what Faith’s food budget usually was, and she was just brushing it off like it was fine.

“My mom’s paying,” she explained as they went through the checkout. “She feels guilty leaving me alone.”

“Wow,” Faith said, glancing at the receipt. “That’s a hell of a lot of guilt.”

“Yep,” Buffy agreed. “Come on, help me carry the bags.”

Buffy and Faith both loaded up on bags and carried them to Giles’s apartment, where they walked in on a strange scene. Xander was lying on the couch while Anya stood over him, clearly panicked, and Giles and Willow were deep in a conversation that they stopped the minute Buffy and Faith entered the room.

—

“Hey, guys,” Buffy said. “What’s up?”

“Xander’s sick,” Anya said. Faith could never figure out what was up with Anya. She seemed incredibly fixated on Xander. “We have to fix him.”

“We think this may be, ah, a particularly bad illness,” Giles said, looking meaningfully at Buffy. “It happened after falling into an ancient burial grounds, and it came on rather fast.”

Buffy glanced at Faith. “Are we still going to have Thanksgiving dinner?” she asked.

“Yes,” Giles said, “but, ah, we should also consider what to do with Xander.”

“Shouldn’t we get him to a doctor?” Faith asked.

“I think the doctor might have to come here,” Buffy said, looking at Xander on the couch, sweating and moaning.

Willow was standing in the middle of the room, looking back and forth between everybody. “I’m going to do some research!” she announced, practically running out. 

“Let’s get the cranberry sauce started, at least,” Buffy said. “Faith, can you help?” 

“Sure,” Faith said.

Buffy led Faith into the kitchen, and the Thanksgiving adventure began.

—

Faith spent hours cooking. She had never cooked this much before in her entire life. She had never really wanted to cook this much, either, but Buffy was entirely insistent on there being a perfect Thanksgiving dinner, and she was too busy worrying about her friend to really focus on the food. 

It was kind of cute, actually.

Faith pushed that thought aside as she stirred. The people in the living room were talking in hushed voices, and Faith was trying to make out what they were saying. No one had gotten a doctor for Xander yet. These people could afford doctors— why hadn’t they gotten one?

Buffy rushed into the kitchen. “We need to start on the pie.” 

Faith pulled the filling recipe out of the giant folder that Buffy had given her. They had bought the crust pre-made, thank God. “Sure,” she said. “Xander all right?”

“We’re working on it,” Buffy said.

—

The next day was Thanksgiving. Buffy told Faith that there wouldn’t be much for her to do today— “You did so much yesterday,” she explained, “and we’re still pretty busy with Xander and all. And it could be contagious.”

To her relief, Faith had agreed without a second thought; Buffy told her to show up around five for the dinner, which gave her… eight hours to cure Xander and finish the turkey. She was determined to make it happen. She went right back to Giles’ house, got the turkey right in the oven, and had just started working on the sweet potatoes when the door to Giles’ apartment opened, revealing Willow, about six old books, and two bags of frozen peas.

Things got stressful fast— the peas weren’t right, and Willow and Giles were arguing, and Buffy just went right back into the kitchen. They were going to have the perfect Thanksgiving, no matter what she had to do to make it happen. 

—

Faith had wandered up and down the streets of Sunnydale for a while, looking in and out of stores. She was bored, and she toyed with the idea of going to Giles’ early, but Buffy clearly didn’t want her around while Xander was going through whatever he was going through (which was probably not entirely of natural origins, but Faith didn’t know what to do about it. She couldn’t exactly punch his fever out). So she decided to duck into the Espresso Pump for a coffee. 

She had ordered her coffee and was just sitting down when her vampire sense started tingling. Seriously? It was daylight. What vampire hung out in a coffee shop in the middle of the day? She looked around, focusing her eyes on a guy lurking in the corner. Okay, this guy was clearly lame enough to be a daylight-coffee-shop vampire. Faith narrowed her eyes at him. She couldn’t do anything without betraying her secret to the rest of the shop, and she didn’t want to do that— if the whole town of Sunnydale knew that she was some kind of freak, no one would want her around anymore, and she’d have to skip town again, and honestly, the whole running away thing got old after a while. Faith was pretty much an adult these days. No more Greyhound trips across the country, no more hitchhiking. Not for Faith. 

So she just eyed the guy (who hadn’t even ordered anything!) until he sat down right across from her.

“Another Slayer?” he asked, with no preamble.

“What?” 

“You’re a Slayer,” he said, with complete certainty in his voice. “I can feel it.”

“Yeah, I know that,” Faith said. “And, anyway, you’re a vampire.”

“I’m not evil,” he said, quickly. 

“Right. I’ll just take your word for it.”

“That would be nice. Here, I’ll give you my card. Guaranteed not evil.” He slid a card across the table to Faith. There was a weird squiggly logo, then the title Angel Investigations: We Help the Helpless. Faith held it up and squinted at the logo.

“What even is this?” she asked. 

The guy seemed to deflate a little bit. “It’s an angel,” he said.

Faith flipped the card over. “Oh, I get it. You’re Angel.” She looked at the address. “You’re far from home, huh?”

“I know,” Angel said. “I was here on— um— personal business.”

“Huh.” Faith slipped the card into her pocket and looked back at Angel. “Okay, so, say you’re not evil. What’s a Slayer?”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t heard the speech,” Angel said. “One girl in all the world?”

“Pretty sure there are two,” Faith said.

“It’s supposed to be one,” Angel explained. “Ancient powers aren’t really up on the concept of CPR.”

“Yeah, I know,” Faith said. “So, you know the other girl? Any clue where I can find her?”

Angel was looking increasingly uncomfortable. “You have to find her yourself,” he said. “She can’t know I’ve been here.”

“I’m not good with puzzles,” Faith said. “More like the punch and go type, myself.”

“You’ll find her,” Angel promised. “Neither of you are particularly low-profile, I’m thinking.”

“So, what do these two girls in all the world do?” Faith asked.

“Kill vampires,” Angel said. “Demons. Whatever.”

“That’s it?” Faith asked. She had been expecting more. There was an awful lot of hullaballoo around this whole thing, as far as she could tell. Surely she was supposed to do more.

“Pretty much.”

“Oh.” That was easy enough. “I can do that. Lots of evil around here.”

“It’s a Hellmouth,” Angel said.

Faith looked at him.

“Mystical convergence or something. I don’t know the details.”

“Weird.” Faith took a sip of her coffee. “Don’t suppose you know how to stop mystical curses. My roommate’s friend seems to be going through some stuff.”

Angel gave her a weird look. “Who’s your roommate? Willow?”

“How do you know Willow?”

“Used to live around here,” Angel said. “The other Slayer is closer to you than you think. And Xander is in good hands.”

Faith stared at him. She opened her mouth to ask a question, but Angel stood up and disappeared into the back of the shop before she could. Instead, she turned back to her coffee, mulling over the conversation she had just had.

—

The battle was fought and won, and Xander was syphilis-free, and Spike was tied up in the bathroom, and it was still only 4:30. 

Which meant that there was only half an hour until Faith showed up, expecting a non-ruined dining room table.

Buffy kicked into gear, whisking the turkey out of the oven, pulling arrows out of the table, covering up the broken bits with tablecloth. Willow helped set it, managing to float the dishes and silverware right out of the kitchen and into place on the table without breaking anything, and Buffy lit the candles just as the doorbell rang. Buffy tried to smooth her hair, wrote it off as a lost cause, and went to the door, which Giles had already opened. Faith was standing in the entryway, looking absolutely perfect, damn her, in a tank top and jeans, and with her hair framing her face perfectly. For a moment, Buffy was resentful, but mostly because Faith had clearly not spent the whole day fighting demons.

“Hey, B,” Faith said. “Xander doing any better?”

“Lots,” Buffy said. “We got— a doctor in here, and it turned out to just be, um, allergies. He was allergic to the dust in the construction site.”

Faith kicked off her shoes. “Good to hear,” she said, grinning. “How’s the turkey? Basted?” 

“Yep,” Buffy said. “To perfection.”

“Some might say too much perfection,” Giles added. 

Buffy glared. To Faith, she said, “We’re about ready to sit down, if you want to follow me?”

“Sure thing, B,” Faith agreed. Buffy led her into the dining room and showed her a seat.

“I have to put the finishing touches on the meal,” she said, “but we’ll start soon.”

After all, the hard part was over. All she had to do now was hope that Spike didn’t make too much noise. And that Faith didn’t have to use the bathroom.

—

After Thanksgiving, Faith didn’t see much of Buffy. She was always out with Willow or Xander or Willow and Xander. (Maybe Willow was the other Slayer. Angel had connected Willow to the curse thing immediately— but no, she wasn’t blonde.)

In fact, Faith and Buffy hadn’t had a real conversation in about a week when Faith was walking down the main Sunnydale street, thinking about getting some new clothes, and saw Buffy, looking starry-eyed at a wedding dress display.

“B?” she said, tentatively. “You getting married?”

Buffy’s starry eyes turned towards Faith, and she exclaimed, “Yes!”

Some part of Faith sank a bit, but she said, “Really?”

Buffy nodded, her face filled with light.

“Who’s the lucky guy?” Faith asked. She didn’t really want to assume, but the whole girl thing was illegal. 

“Spike,” Buffy sighed.

Faith laughed. “You’re marrying a guy called Spike?” she asked. “Your name is Buffy. Surely you could think twice about that?”

“But I love him,” Buffy said. “And what’s wrong with being named Buffy?”

“Nothing, B,” Faith said. “Just— Buffy and Spike. Sounds like a sitcom. About a little girl and her dog.”

“Are you insulting our love?” Buffy asked. Her face grew murderous.

Faith shrugged. “How can I? I don’t even know the guy.”

“He’s wonderful,” Buffy said, rapturous. “His hair is all— bleached— and he has the most beautiful leather coat.”

“I have a leather coat,” Faith said. “You’re not this excited about living with me.”

Buffy paused. “You’re a girl,” she said.

“What,” Faith said, regretting it the minute she said it, “you’ve never thought about being with a girl?”

“I guess,” Buffy said. “Maybe if I weren’t engaged.”

“Right,” Faith said. “To Spike.” But there was a kernel of hope there.

—

Buffy felt like a real fool. Not only had she been convinced that she was engaged to Spike, she had also gone out in public while being convinced that she was engaged to Spike, and she had run into Faith, who did not need to know that Buffy had thought she was engaged to Spike. She managed to explain it away as a weird joke, on a dare from Willow— that was almost the truth, right? Faith just looked at her funnily and moved on.

But that didn’t change the fact that Buffy had told Faith that maybe she’d thought about being with a girl.

And then one morning, Buffy woke up, and she brushed her teeth, and she went back to the room, and she realized that she couldn’t talk. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE GOT A BIG STORM COMIN' re: hush. hold on to your hats. hopefully i'll be faster in getting the next chapter up :-D

**Author's Note:**

> For the record, the title of this, "Slayer?" ends in, "I barely even know her!", but I thought that was a weird title.


End file.
